Helping make Britain more family friendly

We want Britain to be one of the best places in Europe to raise a family.

Other countries seem to welcome kids with open arms, but in the UK parents often think their children are seen as an annoyance. So we want to recognise companies that go the extra mile to make families' lives easier, through our Family Friendly programme.

We believe companies and organisations should be proud and vocal about their family-friendly policies and credentials and we want families to get the support and help they need from colleagues, businesses and government to make life easier for families and ensure Britain becomes one of the best countries in which to raise a family.

What the Family Friendly programme has been doing

We've been working with shops, restaurants, leisure companies and holiday firms to help them understand the needs of all families.

"I just vote with my feet and go to the family-friendly places, which receive a clear incentive in the form of extra business from families." Theboobmeister

Encouraging employers to see staff with families as assets, offering flexible working so parents know they can give their all at work, without having to miss the school play.

"It's about companies that have good policies for working parents and can demonstrate that these are implemented."doit

Urging the government to take decisions with families in mind, so government too is helping make parents lives easier.

"Sometimes the needs of families don't seem to be a priority when government are making decisions." Crumblemum

Family-friendly practices in the workplace

Key facts:

86% of Mumsnetters surveyed rated flexible working hours as a priority, followed by 57% who would value flexible approach to working during the school holidays

84% felt having children had made it harder to progress in their career

76% felt less employable since having a child

73% felt that colleagues who weren't parents resented request for flexible working

We want to see workplaces where parents don't have to deny that their kids come first - who would want it otherwise? We want firms to be unequivocal that their employees don't have to feel bad or worry that they'll be marked down as lacking commitment if they ask to go to their child's sports day.

Being family friendly makes business sense, too. Companies shouldn't spend time and money training staff only to see them walk out the door once they've had children because their working practices don't fit with family life. We'll be looking at different family-friendly issues, including customer services, value for money and quality of life.